Spinning-top



A. M. SMITH.

SPINNING TOP.

APPLICATIDN FILED APR. 30. m9.

1,355,514. Patented 051;. 12, 920.

gvwento:

UNITED STATEd PATENT creme.

ADAM M. SMITH, OF MILWAUKEE, i ESGGEZSEH, ASSIGNGR OF ONE-HALF TO ATLAS METAL PARTS COMPANY, OF MILYVAUKEE, IIISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WIS- CON SIN.

SPINNING-TOP.

. Application filed April 3E To all whom it may 6071067 e it known that I, ADAM M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spinning-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

lriy invention relates to improvements in spinning tops of that type in which the rotary motion of the body of the top is derived from a separable spindle rotating about vertical axis.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and durable top and actuating mechanism therefor which can be made at minimum cost, and operated without difit culty by any child. A further object of my i vention is to provide a form of top which can be advantageously used for advertising purposes.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved top.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, nartly in central vertical section, and showin the spinning mechanism in elevation, and in engagement with the top for a spin ning operation, with dotted lines illustrating the actuating mechanism in raised po tion.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 or Fig. p 7

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views. 7 i

The body of the top comprises a flat disk 1, having a bowl shaped central depression 2, from the upper surface of which rounded studs 3 project at equal distances from the central axis, these studs being preferably formed by indenting the bowl shaped portion from the underside. At the center of the depression 2, the surface is downwardly indented to form a corresponding projection d on the underside, which serves as the spinning point upon which the top revolves. The margin of the disk 1 is preferably folded downwardly and inwardly upon itself, forming a marginal bead 5. The upper surface of the top between this bead 5 and the central bowl shaped depres sion may be printed or stamped with suit able advertising matter, the surface, how

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-Oct. 12, 1920. 1919. Serial no. 293,749.

ever, being preferably smooth in order that minimum air resistance may be encountered.

The spinning tool or mechanism comprises a bar of fiat wire, twisted to form a helical screw 7, the thread of which is steeply pitched along the longitudinal axis of the bar. The lower portion of the bar is provided with an untwisted shank 8, below which the bar is looped to form an oval shaped eye 9, the lower side of which is.

coil with successive turns in contact, andwith the lower extremity inturned to engage in the screw channel or groove, and constituting the screw actuating PI'GJGCtlOIl 11.

The extremity of the wire forming thispro ect1on is preferably so disposed that it will be in approximate contact with the screw thread on one side thereof, whereby this extremity may bear upon the thread with little frictional contact when the sleeve is reciprocated. V

The sleeve 10 constitutes the handle of the tool. l/Vhen this sleeve is supported in a vertical position with the screw suspended therefrom, the latter will ity until the sleeve engages the elbowed up per extremity 12 of the screw bar. upon, if the eye .9 is placed. in the. bowl shaped depression 2 of the spinning body, with the screw in a vertical position, and the disk 1 in a horizontal position, a downward pressure upon the sleeve will cause the screw to turn, and its motion will be transmitted to the body. The stud projections 3 prevent the eye 9 from rotating in frictional contact with the upper surface of the depression 2 if the friction should not be sufficient to transmit motion from the eye to the body.

As soon as the sleeve has been moved downwardly to the lower end of the screw,

descend by grav- Therer or to any other intermediate point at which it is desired to release the body, and allow it to spin free, the sleeve is lifted quickly, thereby withdrawing the eye 9 from contact with the body, and allowing the latter to continue'to spin under the momentum which it has acquired. Thereafter, the momentum of the body may be increased by a succession l of quick blows delivered downwardly in the central depression 2, by means of the eye 9, the operator maintaining his grasp upon the sleeve 10, and lifting the tool from the body instantly as soon as the downward pressure upon the sleeve ceases,andpreferably before the sleeve reaches the lower end of the screw. 1

During each upward movement of the A sleeve, the screw will rotate by gravity in the reverse direction, thus passing downwardly through the sleeve to a point where the spinning impulse can be effectively delivered by'a quick downward thrust. It will also be found that inasmuch as the screw is rigidly connected with the eye by means of p the shank 8, a quick upward movement of.

r the sleeve willbe eifectiveto withdraw the actuating eye 9 from the depression 2 at the instant that the sleeve is lifted. This is of considerable importance, since it relieves the body fromthe detaining effect which would result if even a portion of the weight of the eye shank and screw were to be sustained by the body during the initial retractive move ment, with resulting frictional contact. The reverse movement of the screw while the sleeve is being lifted isnot sufficiently rapid to prevent a'complete withdrawal of the eye from the bowl shaped depression.

Iclaima- 1. A spinning top comprising the combination with a disk having a central bowl shaped depression, a screw having an eye at its lower end, the lower surface of which is curved in substantial conformity to the curvature of said depression, a sleeve through which the screw passes, and an actuating pro ect1on carried by the sleeve, and adapted to engage between the screw threads.

2. A spinning top comprising the combination of a disk shaped body, having'a bowl shaped depression indented at the center of the body. to form a downwardly projecting spinning point, a body actuating -mechanism comprislng a piece of fiat w1re twisted to form a screw, and looped at its lower end to form an eye, and an actuating handle having a cylindrical cavity through which the screw passes, and provided with a projection to loosely engage the screw, said handle when reciprocated being adapted to rotate the screw upon its own'axis.

3. A spinning top comprising the combination of disk shaped body, having a bowl shaped depression indented at the center of the body to form a downwardly projecting spinning point, a body actuating mechanism comprising a piece of flat wire twisted toform a screw, and looped at its lower end to form-an e e and an actuatin o 0 I b handle having a cylindrical cavity through which the screw passes, and provided with a pro ection to loosely engage the screw, said handle when reciprocated being adapted to rotate the screw upon its own axis, and sai handle having a cylindrical cavity through which the screw passes, and provided with a promotion to loosely engage the screw, sald handle when reciprocated being adapted'to rotate the screwfupon its own axis, and said eye belng adapted, when fitted to.

the bowl shaped projection in the body, to

center itself therein, and transmit rotative motion to the body by frictional contact with the surface of said depression, the walls of said depression being also provided with upwardly extending projections in a position to be engaged by said eye when the latterslips along the surface of the body.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ADAM M. SMITH. Witnesses: V

A. J. MoKnR HAN, V O. Q'WE ER; 

